My theory is that it stemmed from the original gnostics, and they stole heavily from the Kabbalah. I see Theosophy as a branch of the Gnostics. Something that is now the modern day control arm.
My theory is that it stemmed from the original gnostics, and they stole heavily from the Kabbalah. I see Theosophy as a branch of the Gnostics. Something that is now the modern day control arm.
It seems to be the body that people are willing to follow, so long as the lighting is kept low. In that sense, Theosophy is like the narcissistic Ivy Leaguer running the Church of Kumbaya Globalism.
I would point out that gnosticism, ie hardcore neoplatonists Christians, have been the main victims of authoritian control structures and strongly persecuted by dogmatics. Why? Well, because its very hard to control people who have no fear of death, personal connection with the divine and who are trained to act in accordance with God's universal love.
And theosophy is not like gnosticism, as the latter is egalitarian (all are brothers and sisters in christ), but instead hierarchical, and built around the idea of an elect group of ascended beings with secret knowledge (gnosticism is not based around secrets, but mysteries), see orthodox Christian theology for the a close relative).
What they do have in common, is a set of psycho-techniques. Ie methods of changing consciousness, but one is based on connection (go into yourself), the other on disconnection (hence sexual abuse, trauma etc).
Yes - huge overlap between Gnosticism and Kabbalah. I tend to ascribe the origin to Kabbalah since it (supposedly at least) came first - but they are definitely interlinked.
My theory is that it stemmed from the original gnostics, and they stole heavily from the Kabbalah. I see Theosophy as a branch of the Gnostics. Something that is now the modern day control arm.
It seems to be the body that people are willing to follow, so long as the lighting is kept low. In that sense, Theosophy is like the narcissistic Ivy Leaguer running the Church of Kumbaya Globalism.
I would point out that gnosticism, ie hardcore neoplatonists Christians, have been the main victims of authoritian control structures and strongly persecuted by dogmatics. Why? Well, because its very hard to control people who have no fear of death, personal connection with the divine and who are trained to act in accordance with God's universal love.
And theosophy is not like gnosticism, as the latter is egalitarian (all are brothers and sisters in christ), but instead hierarchical, and built around the idea of an elect group of ascended beings with secret knowledge (gnosticism is not based around secrets, but mysteries), see orthodox Christian theology for the a close relative).
What they do have in common, is a set of psycho-techniques. Ie methods of changing consciousness, but one is based on connection (go into yourself), the other on disconnection (hence sexual abuse, trauma etc).
Yes - huge overlap between Gnosticism and Kabbalah. I tend to ascribe the origin to Kabbalah since it (supposedly at least) came first - but they are definitely interlinked.